Introducing charters

CIH is the home of professional standards and has a key role in creating a framework to deliver great services. The operating environment in which we are currently working is changing rapidly and provides us with new challenges around working more efficiently and effectively. In response to this, and a clear demand from our members and the sector as a whole, CIH charters allow organisations to voluntarily sign up to a series of commitments, ensuring they are delivering excellent services in core areas of housing management.

Our charters

We currently have six charters for you to sign up to on behalf of your organisation - follow the links for more details and to download a copy of each charter:

A CIH charter is a flexible framework that helps to identify what outcomes a good quality service can deliver. The charters will focus on core areas of service delivery linked to our commitment to support organisations to get the basics right.

Each charter includes a set of commitments tailored to the core area covered. These commitments are underpinned by a range of outcomes that organisations should hope to achieve. Together, the commitments and outcomes provide a framework against which organisations can assess where they are now and where they aspire to be.

By signing up to a charter, organisations are making public their commitment to deliver high quality services which are clearly focused on outcomes for tenants. There are a set of fundamental principles that apply across all of the charters:

They have been developed using sector expertise

They are flexible and can be tailored to suit outcomes that matter to organisations and their tenants

They are focused on outcomes, not processes

They drive sector-led improvement

They intend to complement existing frameworks or initiatives.

Many housing organisations have used CIH charters to improve their services. Read about what they have done and how your organisation can make best use of the charters in the new CIH publication How to improve your services with CIH charters.

With a century of experience equipping housing professionals with the skills they need to do the brilliant work they do, we can help you make the most of the new housing apprenticeships – whatever stage of the journey you are at.

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About us

The Chartered Institute of Housing is the independent voice for housing and the home of professional standards.

Our goal is simple – we want to provide everyone involved in housing with the advice, support and knowledge they need to be brilliant.